IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE FOR THE MEN FROM Maranello to get their first mid-engined supercar into production; time-served Il Commendatore folklore has it that Enzo preferred his prancing horses pulling the cart, not pushing them. Nevertheless, the dazzling appeal, drama and commercial threat of the Lamborghini Miura could not be ignored, and in 1973, seven years after the emergence of the mid-engined Lambo, Ferrari launched its new road car flagship, the 365 GT4 BB.
The 'Berlinetta Boxer' had been first seen at the Turin motor show of 1971 and took plenty of inspiration from Pininfarina's P6 concept of 1968. An elegant, dart-like form, what it lacked of the pioneering bravado possessed by both the Miura and its Countach successor it made up for with a timeless beauty that hasn't faded with the passing decades.
The flat 12-cylinder engine really did have a direct link to Ferrari's competition machines of the 1960s and '70s, though in fact the name 'Boxer' is a misnomer. The engine is actually a 180-degree V12, not technically a 'boxer' engine at all, as opposing pistons use the same crankpin and hence move together in the same direction and not independently punching towards each other as in, say, a Porsche flat-six.
In spite of its fashionable layout, the BB was otherwise largely conventional and 'classic Ferrari'. It featured a spaceframe chassis of oval and rectangular tubing, over which sheet steel was welded in to create a central 'tub-like' structure. On top of this was placed an inner glassfibre skin, with the metal body panels over the top of that.
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Denne historien er fra April 2024-utgaven av Evo UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Cupra Formentor Abt
It's farewell to the original Cupra Formentor with an Abt-tuned run-out package. It's a quietly excellent car; just a shame about the price...
Renault Sport Clio 200 Turbo
This misguided departure from the French brand's hot hatch heritage saw the Clio fall from grace
REBIRTH OF AN ICON
The Kalmar 9X9 is a modernday reinterpretation of Porsche's game-changing 959 supercar, with a carbon body and up to 917bhp. And evo is helping to develop it
Volkswagen Golf GTI
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BEST BUYS
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HY AND DRY
The switch to electric power means an early exit for Hyundai N's brilliant ICE hot hatch duo. We go for a farewell drive in the 120 N
SEXY BEAST
The Vanquish name is back for Aston Martin's latest seriesproduction flagship, with a stunning new look and simply brutal performance from an 824bhp twin-turbo V12
THE JOY OF DRIVING
From mastering the everyday commute to unlocking the full potential of your performance car, our new series will help you become safer, more confident and ultimately more skilled behind the wheel
TINY DANCER
You haven't seen a Mini dance like this before, but then you haven't seen a Mini with a 4-litre M Power V8 under the bonnet and rear-wheel drive. Introducing Vini...
LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO
Grandaddy to the Temerario and the car that transformed Lamborghini was the brilliant, V10-engined Gallardo. We get reacquainted with a Lambo legend